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Q. Is it hard the first round? It's kind of your first day out here, big stage. At any Grand Slam, really.


SIMONA HALEP: Yeah, it's really difficult the first round of the tournament. Always it's hard to play, to start the tournament, and today was, you know, a big challenge for me because I played the first match of this tournament on center court. It's not easy to manage the situation, but I think after first set did I very well. I played better than first set. I started a little bit nervous, but it's normal. And she played really well, as well. She was hitting the balls really good. She was serving good. She will have, for sure, a good future.

Q. You talked about on court the size of the stadium, how big it is. How did you adjust to that? Also, how did you find your forehand? Because it looked like the first set it was flying a little bit.


SIMONA HALEP: I played few years ago here on Arthur Ashe against Jankovic. I lost that match, but was a good match I remember. It's not easy to play on this court because it's very big. It's the biggest you see. Wherever you look you see the people, so it's not easy. But, yeah, you are right. My forehand wasn't there first set. Then I just wanted to hit some balls to feel it again. Then I was more aggressive, I took the ball faster, and I think that helped me. So I'm happy that I could find my game to win this match, because was a tough one.

Q. Did you know anything about your opponent before you set foot on court? See any tape or anything?


SIMONA HALEP: I didn't know how she looks (laughter) because I never saw her on the tour. She's a great player. Of course she has good motivation. I saw her second ball. She was screaming, Come on. So it's a good thing for her. For sure she will be a good player in the future.

Q. How does it feel coming into a Grand Slam being No. 2 in the world?


SIMONA HALEP: It's not easy. It's a little bit of pressure. I can say more pressure because everyone is telling me that I have chance to win this title. But still I'm very far. I have to take match by match and to see if I can win more matches here. Every match like today was tough, and every match is tough here. I have just to try my best always and to do everything on court to win. We will see how far I can go in this tournament. Even if I'm second place, doesn't matter at all.

Q. But you do feel extra pressure?


SIMONA HALEP: I feel, yes. I feel, but I manage well till now. We'll see.

Q. But you're not No. 2 in the world for no reason. You're playing really well. You could also say maybe you're confident from that?


SIMONA HALEP: I am confident in my game. I played really good matches these months. Also I did finals of Grand Slam in French Open, so it's a good thing. I have confidence in myself. I believe in my chance, but still I want to take match by match. We'll see.

Q. How different is Ashe from, for instance, center court at the French Open?


SIMONA HALEP: It's bigger and it's more blue. There it's green, I think. The pressure is the same. It's the biggest court so it's a little bit different, because like I said, you see -- wherever you look you see people, so it's not easy.

Q. At any point today did you start to panic after that first set?


SIMONA HALEP: I'm not sure. Last point of first set I just wanted to hit the ball out to finish that set because was incredibly tough for me. Then I went to the toilet and I said, Look, you have nothing to lose. Go on court and try your best and your game. I did well. Yeah, I wasn't panicked on court, no.

Q. Can you really tell yourself that you have nothing to lose?


SIMONA HALEP: Yes, I can. And that helped me. Yeah. Always.

Q. You were 0-1 down in the third set, in the final set. Were you scared?


SIMONA HALEP: I don't remember this (smiling). No, I wasn't scared, because I felt my game again. In second set I played really well. So then in third set I started with confidence that I can win that match, so I did everything. I think the game was going on the right way.

Q. What did you learn from this match?


SIMONA HALEP: I learned that if you start bad, still you can win the match. So I have to play till the end, till the last point, and to fight for every chance you have during the match.

Q. To get to No. 2 in the world, has it been a physical process, or how much of it has been a mental process of learning how to play?


SIMONA HALEP: I think together, all together, because also mentally I'm stronger than last year. Also I move very well on court. Just before the match my coach told me that I'm in top 3 players in the world that I have a good movement on court. So it's a good thing for me. Also, I changed a little bit, you know, my style. I'm more aggressive now and I improved a lot in my serve, so today in third set I served really well. Every day we have to work to reach the top and to stay there, because it's more difficult to stay there than to reach it.

Q. To be more aggressive, does that mean for you to go for winners more or to go for better second serves?


SIMONA HALEP: Not really for winners. Just to stay very close to the baseline and to take the ball fast. To play fast. That's in my head.

Q. When you found out you'd be playing the first match the whole tournament in Ashe, what's your first reaction when you found that out?


SIMONA HALEP: Wow. (Smiling). It's not easy to see that you play first match of tournament on center court. But, you know, I have experience now. I didn't manage very well the emotions, but it's good that I finished well.

Q. How have you found that the courts have been playing? Fast? Slow? Medium?


SIMONA HALEP: Fast.

Q. Faster than last year, do you think?


SIMONA HALEP: I didn't play last year, so I don't know. It's okay. For me it's fine. I like the court.

Q. The next opponent is Slovakian, Jana Cepalova. Do you know her?


SIMONA HALEP: Who?

Q. Jana Cepalova.


SIMONA HALEP: Cepalova. Yeah, I know her. She played good -- she has good year, because I saw her winning in Charleston, I think, or played the final. She's a good player, so will be a tough match again. I'm looking for to prepare the match and to win it.

Q. Talk about how you feel you played.

SIMONA HALEP: Now I feel great because I finished very fast. Outside is so hot and is not easy to play. But I played my style. I was aggressive. I started a little bit slow, but then I just wanted to make a step forward in the court and just to hit the ball and to take the ball fast. I returned her very well today. And also my serve helped me sometimes in the more important moments. I did a great job today, and I'm really happy with my game.

Q. First round is always kind of tough when you come to a Grand Slam and the distractions and everything. You get that one under your belt. Now you have kind of breezed through easily in the second round. Do you feel like you're hitting your stride right now in this tournament?

SIMONA HALEP: Yeah. Like you said, the first round is always tough to play and to start the tournament, but the second round you play better. Third round better if you win the second one. Always I played better and better. Also in Wimbledon I had a tough match in second round and then I played well. I feel like I have my chance here, but, you know, every match is difficult. Everyone is fighting for her chance. It is not easy to fight to win. But I believe in my chance, and I just want to take match by match and to give everything I can on court.

Q. You were talking the other day about coming in as the No. 2 seed. I mean, No. 2 seeds are playing well to be there, but it also puts a little more attention and pressure on you. Do you feel like you're handling that well?

SIMONA HALEP: Yeah. I think I handled it very well now, because first round was tough because of the pressure, but now I feel okay. I feel relaxed, more relaxed than first days here. I saw that even if I'm second seeded, it's like normal. It's like before. So I have just to enjoy the match, to enjoy the game, and just to be happy. I am here, and I think I deserve to be here because I won many matches, good matches with top players, and I did some great results. So I'm looking forward to keep this way going ahead and just to feel the ball every day and to be more confident day by day in myself.

Q. Are you as confident now as you have ever been in a Grand Slam tournament?

SIMONA HALEP: Yeah. I'm more confident now like before French Open. After French Open I got more confidence because I can play also good in a Grand Slam, so it's a good thing. Also Wimbledon I did a great job. Here I'm prepared to play matches, to stay long time on court during the matches. I like to fight and I like just to take match by match and to think about the next round always.

Q. Have you had a chance to practice on the new practice courts? How does the environment for practice, the different environments for different practices on court, affect how the practice goes at all?

SIMONA HALEP: Which court is new?

Q. Their new viewing platforms.

SIMONA HALEP: Ah, yeah. It's good for the fans, I think. It's good thing that they did. For me doesn't matter because I feel great on court, and when I'm practicing I'm 100% there. So I'm very focused. It's a good thing. Like everywhere and always they try just to make something better. So they did a good job and it's great for everyone.

Q. Do you prefer to practice in private, though?

SIMONA HALEP: No. I like just to practice everywhere. Doesn't matter (smiling).

Q. What did you think when you heard about CiCi Bellis, the 15 year old, winning a match and her first Grand Slam?

SIMONA HALEP: I watched a few games yesterday, last night, so it's a really good thing for her. I'm really happy for her, and I wish her best of luck. Is not easy to manage this situation because she's very young, but it will help a lot for her career. It will be a good thing. I think she has more confidence now that she can be better than before this tournament.

Q. You have been through all of this in your early career. If you were asked, Okay, give Bellis just one tip, one advice, what would that be?

SIMONA HALEP: To be relaxed, to enjoy the tennis, and to playing without pressure. Because if she puts pressure is not easy to manage the game. I don't know to say something, advice for her, but I think this thing is good.

Q. And if you could have changed one thing in your progression, which of course has been very even, but if you could change one thing in your early career...

SIMONA HALEP: No, I don't want to change anything. It was perfect. I'm happy how I am now (smiling). Everythings are going how they have to be, so I'm happy with the way I did in the past. Now in the future for sure I will do also great job.

Q. As someone who experienced a lot of success at a young age, and you're still young, how did you handle that pressure of, you know, being a big star early?

SIMONA HALEP: I'm not very young now. You know, many players won Grand Slams at 17, 18. Now I handle very well the situation. I have experience. I played many matches. I won few titles. It's easier for me. But still, it's first time when I'm second in the Grand Slam, so it's not easy. But, you know, every day we have to learn many things. I'm very open to learn things. So I hope to manage this situation better and better tournament by tournament.

Q. So many thousands of girls want to be top stars. They try and things happen, losses or injuries or whatever. You have had this really extraordinary progression. Do you ever say to yourself either, This isn't quite as hard as I thought it might be, or, This is to too good to be true? Does it ever seem pretty amazing that you have done so well?

SIMONA HALEP: You know, last year in 2013 beginning of the year I was very injured with my back, and then I thought that is not possible anymore to be top because I couldn't play for a few months. But after the pain left I was really happy that I can play again tennis. I said I have to work to fight for my chance, because if I can play again tennis means that I have to play good and to be in the top. Is not easy when you are young, very young. Your dream is to be a champion or to play in the Grand Slams, to play on big courts. Always my father told me that he will come in the finals Grand Slam of French Open. So I did this year, and, you know, my family is very happy. I'm very happy, and everything, it's going in the right way now. I have an amazing life. I'm really happy. You know, just to enjoy it, because you never know what can happen next day. So, you know, I live now my dream. My dream came true, so I feel great.

Q. If I could just follow up, Petkovic said that in an odd way her injuries were kind of a blessing. It was good, because it gave her so much more appreciation.

SIMONA HALEP: Yeah. You know, I had the only one injury with my back. From last year I didn't have any pain. I don't think too much at injuries. I just want to take day by day, to do the things, and just to be focused with what I have to do. No, I don't want to think about the ranking, the injuries, or the tournaments. Just to enjoy it, because I think that was the secret, my secret to reach the top. So I have to keep this way very strong, close to me, and to go ahead.

Q. Obviously very disappointing for you. If you can talk about the match and kind of what didn't work for you today.

SIMONA HALEP: She played really well today. I mean, after I had 5-2 and the two set points, she came back really well and she started to hit every ball. Everything was in for her. It wasn't my best day, but still I did everything I could on court. She was better than me today, so I have to just to keep working every day hard and to look forward for the next one.

Q. Were you a bit surprised at the level that she played?

SIMONA HALEP: Not really, because I knew she was hitting the balls very strong. She's tall and she serves well. So I knew that she's a good player. But still, like I said, I wasn't in a good mood also. I didn't play my best today. But she deserves to win.

Q. Just considering the level of play that you came into the tournament with and so forth - I know you never have expectations; you want to take it one match at a time and this is why - but how disappointing is it to not get beyond this stage?

SIMONA HALEP: It is, because, you know, on the papers I was the favorite for today to win this match, but every day, every match is another match. So I have to take, like I said, always match by match. I know that in tennis is not easy to think that you can win the title. Everyone can beat you. I understand. I accept this situation. I have just to go forward, because I had many good matches, many good results this year. So is not big, you know, problem that I lost today. It happened, and I have just to continue my way to go far.

Q. She's been through so much in her career. I know obviously it's a disappointment for you. But can you be happy for her at that level, understanding how much she's been through and how long it's been to come back for her?

SIMONA HALEP: I don't know exactly her career because she's older than me for many years and I don't know exactly. But of course I can say I'm happy for her because she played and she deserves to win. I wish her good luck for the next rounds. She plays really well, and, you know, when you play well you deserve to win. So was her chance today, and she took it.

Q. When you say that you weren't in a good mood on the court, did you come to the court more nervous than normal?

SIMONA HALEP: Well, I started pretty good the match. I had 5-2 and two set balls. I started aggressive. I played well. But after that, after she came back really well. I couldn't hit very long the balls. So was too short, my game. But it happened, and I have just to take like it was. Good mood I didn't have because, you know, sometimes after you lose a set from 5-2 you lose a little bit of the confidence. But still I tried everything I could.

Q. So from here on out, do you know what your schedule is for the rest of the year?

SIMONA HALEP: Asia. Yeah, China. I will go to play there.

Simona Halep has hired fellow Romanian Victor Ionita as her new coach for the 2015 season. In addition, Thomas Hogstedt, former coach to Maria Sharapova and Caroline Wozniacki, will serve as a coaching consultant for the first three tournaments of year at the Shenzhen Open, Sydney International and Australian Open. After being fired by Wozniacki after the Australian Open this year, Hogstedt began working with Sloane Stephens in July.​ Halep's manager Virginia Ruzici confirmed the hires.
After yet another breakthrough season in 2014 that saw Halep make her first Slam final at the French Open and finish the season at No. 3, the 23-year-old chose to split with coach Wim Fissette in favor of a Romanian coach. She's found that with Ionita, who coached her countrywoman Sorana Cirstea to a career-high No. 21 last year. Comparatively, Halep and Cirstea's games are complete opposites. Cirstea never saw a ball she didn't want to crush for a winner. But the hiring of Ionita and Hogstedt seem to signal Halep's continued desire to work more offense and aggression into her game.
Halep begins her season as the top seed at the Shenzhen Open on January 4th. In the meantime, she's already back to training.

Simona Halep and Petra Kvitova took on a pair of talented semifinal opponents in the semifinals of the Shenzhen Open on Friday, but only one survived through to the final.

Halep, the tournament's No.1 seed, was the first of the two to take the court, and she was the one who survived through to the final, dispatching WTA Rising Star Zheng Saisai in straight sets, 6-2, 6-3.

"It was a tough match - she played really well in the second set," Halep said. "I was a little bit nervous, but I stayed focused and it worked very well for me because I was able to come back.

"It's difficult to play someone for the first time, but I think I did a good job today."

Zheng is one of the fastest-rising WTA Rising Stars out there at the moment - Halep was asked why.

"She's hitting well with her forehand and she has a good slice, and she's moving well - she's very fast like a lot of the Chinese players," Halep commented. "I think she will be a very good player."

The No.2-seeded Kvitova followed Halep onto center court but wasn't as successful as the Romanian, falling to No.8 seed Timea Bacsinszky in straight sets, 6-4, 6-4. Bacsinszky was devastating on serve - she held nine of her 10 service games, and in the one game she lost she was originally up 40-15. Meanwhile, Kvitova seemed to be struggling on her serve, getting broken three times in the match.

Bacsinszky's win over the No.4-ranked Kvitova is the equal-biggest win of her career. She beat a No.4-ranked Maria Sharapova in the early rounds of Wuhan, also on Chinese soil, last fall.

It has been a long road back for Bacsinszky, who peaked at No.37 in the world back in 2010 but who went as low as No.578 in 2012 after a series of nagging injuries and struggling to grind her way back up. But grinding is just what she's done recently - she went into 2014 ranked No.237 and is currently at No.47. Could her results in Shenzhen this week push her back towards her career-high?

Halep beat Bacsinszky in their only previous meeting, though it was all the way back in 2010.

Also, there will be a very noteworthy name in attendance on Saturday. Li Na, who won the first two editions of the Shenzhen Open in 2013 and 2014, will be a guest of honor of the tournament on Finals Day, helping out with the coin toss and signing autographs for fans in the tournament village.

SHENZHEN, China - The week didn't start out so smoothly, but by the end it was plain sailing - Simona Halep ended the Cinderella run of Timea Bacsinszky in straight sets on Saturday afternoon to win her ninth WTA title and put herself among the favorites for the upcoming Australian Open.

Halep almost didn't make it out of her first match in Shenzhen - WTA Rising Star Annika Beck had her on the ropes, winning the first set, twice going up a break in the second set and, after letting that second set slip, even going up a break in the third. Halep survived, however, 4-6, 6-4, 6-3.

And she only gathered steam from there. The No.1-seeded Halep never dropped another set, including in Saturday's final, where she held all eight of her service games - never facing a break point - and getting four breaks of her own to beat the No.8-seeded Bacsinszky in 62 minutes, 6-2, 6-2.

"I wasn't feeling very well before the match - I was a little bit sick - so I told myself I have nothing to lose, just go on court, be relaxed, stay focused and fight for every point," Halep explained.

"It worked, and I felt really relaxed today. I'm happy I could play better day by day and match by match here. I'm looking forward to playing like today in the next tournament, maybe even better."

Li Na, who won the first two Shenzhen Opens in 2013 and 2014, made the Australian Open final both years - finishing runner-up to Victoria Azarenka the first year then winning the title last year.

Halep was asked in her post-match press conference if she feels she can keep the pattern going.

"It's tough to answer that question. You never know what will happen day by day," Halep said.

"But I don't want to put any pressure on myself for the Australian Open. I have to be focused there, and I hope to win many matches there, but it'll be tough. I'll just try to do everything I did here."

Halep now has nine WTA titles to her name, winning six in 2013 (Nürnberg, 's-Hertogenbosch, Budapest, New Haven, Moscow and Sofia), two in 2014 (Doha and Bucharest) and now one in 2015.

Despite coming up one win short on Saturday, it was still a dream week for Bacsinszky. Not only did she reach her first WTA final since 2010, but in the semifinals she beat No.4-ranked Petra Kvitova, the equal-biggest win of her career (she beat a No.4-ranked Maria Sharapova in Wuhan last fall).

Some history was made in the doubles final, as the Kichenok twins - Lyudmyla and Nadiia - became just the second set of twins to win a WTA doubles title together by beating Chinese duo Liang Chen and Wang Yafan, 6-4, 7-6(6). The Pliskova twins have won three WTA doubles titles together.

She may not have played her cleanest or most dominant match, but when it mattered most, Simona Halep proved why she is the world’s third-ranked player in a straight-sets win over Yanina Wickmayer on Sunday night.

The No.3 seed saw off the challenge of the dangerously streaky Belgian 6-4 6-2, a victory that sends her through to her second consecutive Australian Open quarterfinal.

The Romanian’s play when serving at critical junctures of the match was particularly impressive. After a tough first set approaching the 50-minute mark, Halep stepped up to the line to serve it out and smacked a forehand winner followed by two aces to hold at love.

And with the match on her racquet leading 5-2 in the second set, she produced a pair of forehand winners either side of an ace to reach match point, and closed out her triumph with an unreturnable first serve.

“I think I stayed very aggressive. I took the balls very fast. I served pretty well today. My serve helped me a lot in important moments, like in first set when I finished the set with two aces. It was very important moment,” she said.

Prior to that, it was a slightly disgruntled Halep who went about her business at Rod Laver Arena under lights.

She struggled to find consistent length on her groundstrokes to pin the big-hitting Wickmayer back in the court, and the ball wasn’t always coming cleanly off her racquet face. Ever the perfectionist, she gesticulated in frustration after missed returns.

“Some moments of the match you are frustrated, but it's normal. I have to accept my mistakes because it's normal to do some of them,” she said.

“I just want to be perfect on court, but is not possible. The perfect doesn't exist. So I try to keep my mind very focused for every point and to forget about the mistakes.

That she did. Wickmayer, who reached the fourth round at Australian Open 2010 and who had beaten seeds Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova and Sara Errani this week to reach the last 16, loves the ball in her strike zone, and shots she can step inside the court and pound into the corners.

Halep ensured these types of balls were few and far between. Working the ball around the court, changing the trajectories, and going back in behind the Belgian on many shots, Halep jerked Wickmayer around and got her lunging, extracting errors. She broke serve twice to open up a 4-1 lead, and weathered a big-hitting storm from her opponent to snatch the first set.

The second set was a carbon copy of the first, with the Romanian scoring an early service break. Wickmayer broke back to level at 2-2, but Halep was too tough in the fifth game, nimbly covering the court and even throwing in a squash shot which skimmed low and deep to help her stay alive and eventually draw an error from Wickmayer. It brought up a break point, which Halep converted for a 3-2 lead.

Soon the margin was 5-2, after a game during which Halep again showcased her formidable movement; on the dead run, she rifled a backhand winner up the line and added a loud grunt for emphasis.

The Rod Laver Arena crowd was impressed, and even more so when she resoundingly served out the win in the very next game.

“A lot of confidence I have now because I didn't lose a set,” Halep said of her march through to the last eight at Melbourne Park, where she will next meet No.10 seed Ekaterina Makarova.

“I had good matches here in first week, so I'm really happy that I'm in second week now like last year. Here I started to play my best tennis in Grand Slams. So means a lot for me. I really have more confidence now to play the quarterfinals.”

DUBAI, UAE - Simona Halep defeated WTA Rising Star Karolina Pliskova in a very close two-setter to win the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships, which isn't just the milestone 10th WTA title of her career, but also the equal-biggest - it's her second Premier 5-level title after Doha a year ago.

Watch highlights, interviews and more video from Dubai right here on wtatennis.com!

The win also gives Halep a big push on both the WTA Rankings (No.4 back to No.3) and the Road To Singapore leaderboard - the year-long journey to the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global (No.5 to No.3). She'll trail only Serena Williams and Maria Sharapova on both lists.

After winning a relatively straightforward first set in 41 minutes, Halep was faced with an all-out war in the marathon 66-minute second set, battling back from an early break down at 2-0 and twice failing to serve out the match at 5-4 and 6-5 - she even got herself to match point in both those games.

The second set eventually went to a tie-break, where Pliskova even inched ahead, 4-3 - but the No.1-seeded Halep reeled off four points in a row to finally close the No.17 seed out, 6-4, 7-6(4).

"I'm very happy right now. I cannot explain in words how I feel," Halep said. "It's an amazing title for me. It's very important for my career. I'm really happy and just want to enjoy this moment.

"At the beginning of the tournament some people asked me if I felt pressure because I was the No.1 seed. I said no, because I wasn't thinking about it, and I just wanted to go on court and play match by match, because everyone would play really well here. And I played with big players like Makarova, Pliskova, Wozniacki - she was No.1 two years. So it's honestly just an amazing victory for me."

Pliskova had never even been to the quarters of a Premier 5 event before, let alone the final.

"I was trying to turn it around, but even if I won the second set, I don't know if I would have won the whole match," she said. "It would still have been hard because she doesn't give up on any point. She runs really, really well, and it's hard to kill the ball against her. She really gets everything back.

"I lost, so I'm not really happy right now, but obviously I'm happy for the week and for the last two or three weeks I had. I had so many matches here and beat great players - I'm not disappointed."

Halep got a hefty $456,000 paycheque for the victory. A self-confessed fan of shopping, the Romanian was asked in her post-match press conference what she might buy for herself for the victory.

"Good question. I have many things in my mind, but I'm not sure what I would choose," she said.

"Tonight it's tough to choose. Maybe tomorrow. For sure tomorrow I'm going to the mall for a little bit to choose something, but not very big. When I go home, I will look, I think, for a house."

Simona Halep dokonała szczerej oceny swojej gry na kortach ziemnych w obecnym sezonie. Rumunka wyznała, że nie ma oczekiwań odnośnie występu w tegorocznym Wimbledonie.
Półfinał turnieju w Stuttgarcie, półfinał zawodów w Rzymie, ale na paryskiej mączce Simona Halep nie błyszczała. Finalistka Rolanda Garrosa 2014 tym razem odpadła we francuskiej stolicy już w II rundzie, po porażce z doświadczoną Chorwatką Mirjaną Lucić-Baroni. - Na mączce odczuwałam zbyt dużą presję i zupełnie sobie z tym nie poradziłam - stwierdziła pochodząca z Konstancy 23-latka.

- Byłam zablokowana i nie mogłam grać w Paryżu. Nie jest łatwo rywalizować z Lučić, która wcześniej pokonała mnie w US Open. Nie byłam więc w stanie grać swojego tenisa i byłam bardzo zawiedziona porażką w II rundzie - dodała.
Trzecia rakieta świata opowiedziała o tym, jak wyglądały jej pierwsze dni po szybkim odpadnięciu z Rolanda Garrosa. - Zrobiłam sobie kilka dni przerwy, aby oczyścić umysł. Chciałam powrócić do rywalizacji silna i w pełni zrelaksowana. Teraz chcę po prostu wyjść na kort i grać tak, jak potrafię. Nie podchodzę do tego tak, że mam coś do udowodnienia na trawie. Nie mam żadnych oczekiwań i chcę wyłącznie cieszyć się grą bez odczuwania przy tym presji - wyznała Rumunka.
W Birmingham Halep dotarła do ćwierćfinału, w którym przegrała z Kristiną Mladenović. Przed kilkoma dniami tenisistka z Konstancy zakończyła współpracę z Victorem Ionitą, który był jej trenerem przez ostatnie pół roku. Od Wimbledonu szkoleniowcami Rumunki będą Daniel Dobre i Darren Cahill. Halep to zeszłoroczna półfinalistka londyńskiego Szlema.

Things may not have panned out for her at the BNP Paribas WTA Finals Singapore presented by SC Global - after a sparkling win against Flavia Pennetta, she was edged by Maria Sharapova and Agnieszka Radwanska and didn't make it out of her round robin group - but there's a very shiny silver lining for Simona Halep: the World No.2 has secured the year-end World No.2 ranking.

Watch highlights, interviews and much more video from Singapore right here on wtatennis.com!

"I actually think I had a good year this year - ups and downs, but it was okay," Halep said.

"I started the year very well, with Indian Wells, Dubai - it was a great way to get started. On clay, I didn't play my best. I didn't find the rhythm. I can say I couldn't feel the game. I had pressures from last year, too, because I had to defend some results. I didn't play my best at Wimbledon either. But I let myself have a break from tennis for about one month after Wimbledon, and then I set no expectations in the USA - I just played and tried my best. I did well there, and now I'm more confident than before."

And with so much raw talent, so much court sense and drive, one's got to expect an even bigger breakthrough for Halep in 2016 - whether that's her first Grand Slam title or the WTA Finals title at the end of the year, or even challenging Serena Williams for No.1, it seems just around the corner.

"I want to get better for the next year," the Romanian declared. "I have many things to improve. I have to run a little bit more. But it's normal. I have to be healthy first and then train hard.

"I really want to get better; I want to do better next year."

Regardless of how she felt she played on Thursday, she was all class when it came to Radwanska.

"I had my chances in the first set, and that's why I'm disappointed that I lost this match, because I couldn't finish the first set," she said. "But then she was dominating me. I did a few steps from the baseline and she played her best. I give her a lot of credit - she played really good tennis today.

"But I'll go home now. I'll go on holiday. It's okay - I think I had a good year this year!"

This will be Halep's second year-end Top 10 finish - she was No.3 on the 2014 year-end rankings (behind Williams and Sharapova) and now No.2 on the 2015 year-end rankings (behind Williams).

Only once has another Romanian woman finished in the year-end Top 10 - Irina Spirlea, No.8, 1997.